Nevada Basketball Schedules First Pro Day

Nevada Basketball Pro Day Set for September 27th

While Pro Days are commonplace in college football it is relatively new in College Hoops. It certainly made sense for schools like Kentucky and Duke to give NBA front offices a chance to see players participate in a pro-environment using NBA type metrics and drills before the season starts. These blueblood schools have the reputation for being a stepping stone to the NBA.

For Nevada and Coach Eric Musselman, the future of the program may well hinge not so much on how deep a run they make in March, but how many players from their current roster get drafted by the NBA. Part of the allure of going to a Kentucky or a Duke for a four- or five-star recruit is their reputation of putting players on NBA squads.

Musselman has changed Nevada’s recruiting goals this year, focusing exclusively on four-and five-star players. Top recruits generally prefer going to a school and environment that will allow them to develop and get the exposure necessary to become pro players.

Having a Pro Day where numerous NBA front offices can watch players go through agility and shooting drills in order to have a solid foundation to evaluate players talent as the season progresses, which can only be seen as positive for the players in the program.

Players on the Nevada squad that scouts will be particularly interested in will be Cody and Caleb Martin, Jordan Caroline, Jordan Brown. Others like Trey Porter, Cory Henson, and Tre’shawn Thurman will be trying to make a splash and get noticed as well. With the plethora of talent on Nevada’s squad this year it is a safe bet that there will be numerous NBA scouts attending Wolf Pack game this year.

Often they are looking for the intangibles, how players handle adversity, how they behave when on the bench, do they take plays off, how they interact with teammates and coaching staff.

Exposure, feedback, and development are what Pro Days are all about. When a program can offer exposure to and feedback from NBA teams that program becomes more attractive for high-level recruits. Should Mussleman remain at Nevada look for Pro Day to become a regular event in the same way that “Arch Madness” under the famous Reno arch has become.